The Half-lings Pt.2

She knew she had to return to her pride. It was nearing dawn and her life would totally change during the hours of light. Leandra had long ago learned how to change no matter what the time of day or night it was. She was the first of her generation to have the ability to do so. Her mother told her it was because she been with a human before Leandra was born. The mixed blood had given Leandra a special gift. She knew that Michael's mother must have done the same for he too could change at will, though not nearly as fast as she could. As she began the change, she wondered how many of the wounds would show today. Hearing her mother call out to her, she finished the change and went to her.
"Are you hanging your head, Daughter!?!?"
"Mother, I.."
"Stop, Leandra! I do not wish to hear any more of your reasons! This time, you nearly cost the life of one of your own, not forgetting that you were almost killed yourself!" Her mothers voice softened now. "Leandra, I know what is happening. I have been there myself. You must fight the desire and destroy him... before he destroys you. I love you daughter but the pride is becoming weary of your antics. You are an adult now and the strongest of all, save myself. If you were not, the pride would have run you away or worse."
"Mother, you are wrong! You Think you know my heart but you do Not!!"
Seeing her mother move at such speed took Leandra by surprise. In a single breath her mother was in front of her. Leandra watched in fear as her mothers featured went from a beautiful queen, to a Leopard with strength beyond mans imagination. Her claws extended she gently took Leandra's face between her paws and pulled her to her own face. The scent of a fresh kill was still on her mothers breath and Leandra licked her lips and fought Not to change again. Her mothers low growl was telling Leandra everything she needed to know. Deanna loved her daughter more than life itself but she knew she needed to bring reality to her daughters mind. Squeezing Leandra's head between her paws, her heart ripped in two as she listened to her daughter cry out.
"Mother please, it hurts me when you do that! Please stop!!" Leandra knew not to pull away. Her mother's claws would tear her human form to tiny shreds.
"This is Nothing, Daughter." Deanna's growl made Leandra try to turn her head away. "Stop moving Cub! You do Not need more wounds than what that Man-Beast has already given you! Do not chance to talk aggressive to me and do Not tell me what I know to be true is wrong! You have loved the man Michael since you were a child. HE does Not love you! He wants only to see you dead! You, and all of your pride. Hell daughter, he waits to see the end of your entire people! When next you see him, you must kill him before he kills you. I am powerless against him because he has both bloods in him. He has the old dominate male blood and in that, he has the strength to kill us all. All except you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael drove through the pouring rain. His site was not like a common mans. He saw through the rain as if it were a perfectly clear day. Jordan would sleep most of the drive. His wounds would only heal while he rested. By evening he would have 75% of his strength back. It would be enough to do some battle but never enough to win against a strong adversary. Michael would have to watch over Jordan until all of his strength had returned. Jordan was only part of the things going on for Michael. He knew that the humans would return to finish what they had started. He could not allow them to kill Leandra. His heart knew that as well as his mind did. He heard Jordan stirring in the back seat.
"Why are we going back to the very place that you and were nearly killed? It makes no sense to me at all. Tell me there is not something going on between you and the girl."
Michael stared at the road in front of him. He offered no answer and Jordan knew not to push the issue.
"If we do not find a way to come to terms with the Pride, the humans will hunt us down and destroy all of us. It is the Only way, Jordan. We can not run our entire life. If we can find a way to convince the humans we can co-exist, we can then be free to live our lives as we have for centuries."
"How might we do that Michael? We are beasts, remember?"
"Not always, Jordan. We do exist as humans also."
"Half-lings, Michael. We are called Half-lings, remember?" Michael growled low. He hated that word. "not all of us can change at will like you and the she-cat can. You are the only ones that have that power. My father was Not your father. I am like the others. The dark and night still rule my world."
"Yes, and it is for Your world that I go to the cats and seek their help. We must either change the minds of those that want to kill us or destroy them."
The sun would not be gone for many hours. Michael knew that there was no way to negotiate with the cats unless they were in their human forms. He needed to make it to their forest before the sun set.He pushed down on the gas pedal and wondered if what he was trying to do were even possible. He would not know the answer unless he asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leandra sat alone, looking at the scars on her arms and legs. She was grateful that the worst of them were covered by clothing. She would only have to answer for the purple around her left eye. Her human friends would no doubt think she had been abused by some man. She snickered to herself. She knew that in the strangest way, they would not be far from right. She needed the human contact and cursed herself for that. They were an enemy to be reckoned with. They had seen that before. She still had to figure out what she was to do about Michael. Her mother was of course correct. She had been in love with him for longer than she could recall. To kill him was something she knew in human form she could never do. And yet, she had a better chance to kill him that way than when she changed again. His strength had scared her earlier. Never had she known such power. Why had he not killed her? HE could have finished her and yet he stopped and allowed her to claw him so badly. Maybe, she thought, maybe he loved her too...
Leandra heard the sounds of her friends voices. They were screaming and yelling to her. "What happened to You!?!? Damn it, girl, don't you know how to just say No and get away from the creep that did this?"
Leandra smiled at Lori. She had been her best friend for most of her life. She was also the Only human that knew what Leandra really was. It was their secret and Lori had never betrayed her.
"It was a rough night, Lori. Don't even ask."
"Was it Michael?"
"No, Michael could have but he didn't. I am still wondering why he didn't."